The Time of Legends
by Ambercatlucky2
Summary: A group of eight, once strangers now practically family, are called to fight to protect the five kingdoms of Magvel; Renais, Frelia, Jehanna, Rausten, and Grado, as well as the Mercantile Republic of Carcino. It is only by them may Magvel survive, for their enemy is powerful and filled with great evil, surpassing that of even the Demon king.
1. Prologue: Deepest Nights

**Notes: I don't own Fire Emblem the Sacred Stones.**

**Summary: A group of eight, once strangers now practically family, are called to fight to protect the five kingdoms of Magvel; Renais, Frelia, Jehanna, Rausten, and Grado, as well as the Mercantile Republic of Carcino. It is only by them may Magvel survive, for their enemy is powerful and filled with great evil, surpassing that of even the Demon king.**

_**Prologue: Deepest Nights**_

"We're surrounded…" Sarah said, her voice barely over a horrified whisper, an orange haired paladin edged in beside her, offering her a hand up onto his horse.

"Well then, we'll fight to the last breath, this isn't the first time we've been surrounded by foes before, and it won't be our last!" Encouraged Adriean, Sarah gave a nod and readied her weapon, the sacred Frelian twin weapon, the serpent bow Nidhogg. Not twenty paces from them, the Manakete Topaz gripped her Dragonstone, its mysterious power washed over her turning her black dragon wings gold before she wrapped them around her hiding her from view.

She burst out of her wings moments later as she transformed into a mighty golden dragon. Matthew, a skilled Sage quickly climbed up her flank and sat between two sharp spines on her back, just before her wings emerged near to the slight hollow at the base of her neck, he readied his spells as the two stood back to back with Adriean and Sarah.

From her scout job slightly in the sky above them, Falcoknight Elizabeth swooped down, dismounting from her Pegasus with the gentle grace she always carried about her.

"It's not good Sarah. Guys, we're worse off than being surrounded, there are two different armies heading our way from the North and the South, if we can't fight these guys off and escape, we'll be stuck in a deathtrap for sure." Her serene face was clouded with worry, "I just hope we can make it out of this one."

"Don't we always?" Stated the cocky Rouge Vincent as he held up Elizabeth's Silver Lance and waved it in front of her eyes, she snatched her weapon back from the sly hands of the thief with a harsh glare.

"Vincent, Elizabeth, this is no time for fighting with _each other_, we have enough enemies without you two and your twisted romance." Cole said as he flew in atop his Wyvern mount, another person rode with him, a Swordmaster named Melody she glared at Cole, "Be nice Cole, you know they don't like you teasing them about it."

Cole grinned, "That's what makes it fun."

"Cole, if you would kindly get your ass off your Wyvern for a minute… I would like to beat you to death." Vincent called from his lower position on the ground.

"There's no need, here, come with me." Elizabeth offered, allowing the rouge to mount her Pegasus with her, she flew to Cole until they were eye level. "Get it through your head, I don't like Vincent!"

"Yeah, and I don't like Elizabeth either!" He exclaimed from beside her.

"Vincent and Elizabeth sitting on a Pegasus k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes an elopement, Elizabeth and Vincent consummating in the saddle."

"COLE!" Melody shouted, and hit him hard upside the head, "Don't be so rude!" Topaz turned towards them and gave Cole a look that said 'Besides, that's probably more in the style of your department, I feel bad for Melody with all that rape though.'

Cole glared at the dragon who looked nonchalantly back, while Melody, unaware of Topaz's glare-statement, apologized for Cole to Elizabeth and Vincent.

"Guys…" Sarah called, because she figured if the rest of them weren't going to pay attention in a life or death battle, she would. However the others didn't hear her.

"HEY PEOPLE!" Adriean hissed. The others stopped their arguing and turned to him, the Paladin motioned to the soldier attempting to hide in the woods.

"It's high time we fought already."

"Agreed." They said, and putting away their friendly arguments they stood together as enemies washed in around them, the day drained of light and stained an ugly black as the battle to decide their lives began.


	2. Chapter One: Pay the Tab

**Notes: I don't own Fire Emblem the Sacred Stones. And if I get any terms wrong, I apologize. Also, the first chapter happens **_**before**_** the prologue.**

_**Chapter One: Pay the Tab…**_

She was in a crowded Port Kiris pub laughing and drinking with other sell-swords and mercenaries when a man walked in, if you could call him that, he looked as if he'd just entered manhood. Not that she was very old herself. Melody took a long drag from her mug of ale and eyed the stranger.

He had blue-black hair that was nearly straight, though curls threatened to form. His eyes were a navy blue-grey. What made him stand out though was his Grado outfit, which hailed his nationality, that and he walked with the usual Grado swagger.

"Stupid Grado pig," Melody muttered, her head only slightly muddled from the hard liquor she drank, "probably thinks the world owes him. Even after Grado's attempt at taking over Magvel by allying with the Demon King."

"You know, I'm not hard of hearing. Grado didn't ask for the Demon King, he possessed and killed our crown prince, who wasn't bad at all, or at least Queen Erika and King Ephraim thought so, I mean they were friends and all. Miss Renais." The man said, his stone grey eyes watched her with an intense seriousness that made her shiver.

"So you know what happened twenty-five years ago, so what? It's hardly history. And what makes you think I'm Renaise?"

The man grinned at her and let his eyes wander slowly up her body, his gaze filled with lusty admiration.

"Easy," He said, "Renais folk are the only ones with hair that shade of blue. By the way my name's Cole."

"Good for you." Melody replied meeting his gaze with her cold blue eyes.

"May I have the honor of your name?" He asked over-dramatically.

Melody narrowed her eyes, "No."

"Well then, can I at least buy you a drink?" Cole offered, Melody pursed her lips in thought for a few moments.

"Why the hell not Grado boy. But one thing," she asked, "How did you know my natural hair color is blue?" A few nights ago she had died her hair a dark red colour because her bright turquoise and sapphire locks had been drawing too much attention to herself, much more than any Myrmidon or mercenary of any sorts would like.

Cole shrugged, "Does it really matter?"

"Uh, yeah." She replied in a degrading tone.

"I might have seen you at the market a week or so ago and watched you for a bit…" He answered.

"Define 'a bit'." She prompted dangerously.

"Oh you know, a few hours," He muttered vaguely, "per day."

"You've been stalking me for a week?" She exclaimed.

"Tch, stalking, that's such a harsh term." Cole said as he flagged down the bar maid.

"That doesn't mean that it's not true!" Melody replied angrily while Cole exchanged a few quick words with the bar maid before she disappeared again.

"Look girl, relax, you draw a man's attention, so what?" He said.

"Attention, is flirting, dating, fighting and that kind of thing, stalking is not the good kind of attention a girl wants!" She cried.

"Fighting?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly then shrugged and continued, "Well, I'm good with two for three, so can I have your name please?"

"Two for three?" Melody questioned.

"Yeah, we're flirting, and fighting, two out of the three things listed in your 'good' kind of attention list." Cole paused a moment, "We can make it three for three if you'd like."

"This is _not_ the kind of fighting I was talking about!" Melody snapped, "I meant fighting in the sense of actual fighting, the test of two people in battle." Her voice had a faint dreaminess to it when she spoke of battling someone else, "I've only ever lost once, to a man named Adriean. Now _he_ was a fighter. I haven't seen him in five years though, haven't had a fight as good at that since then either."

"Well, do you want to fight me?" Cole offered, Melody laughed, perhaps a second or two longer than necessary, she rose to her feet, and swayed slightly as more of the liquor she'd drank began to take effect.

"You'd hardly be an opponent." She smirked eyeing up the man before her. At this point the bar maid had returned and given Cole his order, she smiled at him before she left to deal with another customer.

"I find that offensive my dear. Dragons, I know you don't need this, but here, I promised you a drink, didn't I?" He proffered one of the glasses of amber liquid to her, there was raspberry coloured syrup at the bottom of the glass and a slice of lime floated along with ice in the liquid.

Melody took it and eyed it for a second before she took a cautionary sip; the drink went down like liquid fire and ice. She smiled at him drunkenly, put her cup down on the table behind her and slung her arms around his neck before repeating her earlier statement.

"Why the hell not Grado boy? I'm Melody."

Cole flushed only slightly, he turned towards the barman, "Put the drinks on my tab."

* * *

Elizabeth fell off her horse and onto her face in the dirt. Scowling she stood up and brushed the dirt off her dress.

"I'll never be able to do this!" she huffed, her gold flecked blue eyes glaring at the staff she has just attempted, and failed, to wield yet again. Her attendant picked up the magic crafted staff, he then handed it back to her.

"I'll never be good enough to be a Valkyrie like my mother, I'm hardly good enough to be called a Troubadour!" She lamented.

"Lady Elizabeth, you needn't worry, you'll become a fine Valkyrie like your mother, and just as lovely as a leader. Don't fret, Queen L'Arachel has total faith in you, and you are worthy of that trust milady." Her attendant told her.

"Thank you Torrant, your kind words mean a lot to me." Elizabeth told him with a gentle smile that often earned her attention from boys and girls alike. She adjusted the ribbon-ties in her pale sunshine and limes coloured hair and threw the rest in a loose ponytail. And with that she resumed her practice with staves.

But as soon as she started, a black feathered arrow with a silver shaft flew out from the trees and struck Torrant in the heart, another arrow found itself deep in the flank of her beloved pony Applesauce. Frightened Elizabeth leaped up from the ground where she had crouched near Applesauce. And grasping her staff she raised it high above her head, "MEND!" She shouted in a commanding voice, warm light flew from the staff and settled on the still bodies and seeped into them wherever the flesh was broken.

Applesauce let out a soft whimper and returned to her still state, Torrant coughed and looked up at her, "See milady? I knew you could do it… I have faith in you." And with that his eyes closed once more in eternal sleep.

"Show yourselves you villainous monsters!" She screeched, tears flowing down her otherwise flawless face. Another arrow was let fly, this time aimed at her. However a figure clothed in black leapt in front of her and deflected the arrow with his iron blade. Like his clothes his hair was black and slightly messy.

Her mysterious savior ran forward into the thicket from which the arrows had originated. Elizabeth, who had grown up knowing only peace was sure that the screams and cries of those she heard from within the forest, those ending in bloody gurgling whimpers, were the sounds from nightmares. The dead bodies of her most trusted and loyal servant and her beloved mare only added to the nightmare.

After ten long, hellish minutes the stranger who had saved her life reappeared before her.

"My hero!" She cried, flinging her arms around him.

"H-Hero?" The man stuttered.

The young woman nodded fiercely, "You saved my life." The man looked about awkwardly before he spoke up, "Actually, I only planned to steal your gold," Oblivious to what he was saying, Elizabeth had turned away to recover her discarded staff frowning to find it had been broken, she turned back to the stranger only in time to hear him say, "…just couldn't let them hurt a lady."

Elizabeth blushed, "You're really nice…"

"W-what?" The thief managed, somewhat overcome by shock.

"Indeed, you saved my life and called me a lady, I'm Elizabeth ana'Arachel." The man's hazel eyes widened.

"You mean you're Princess Elizabeth of Rausten?!"

"Yes, I'm her, but let's not be so formal, just call me Elizabeth, okay?"

"Okay," he replied, half amazed the crown princess of Rausten liked him, half already scheming on how to come out of this with the most gold possible, "My name's Vincent." He told her, she smiled at him, and something moved inside of him, he felt a desire to keep this girl safe, not because she was a woman, but because of who she was as a person. He still wanted gold though.

"Shall we go back to town together?" Elizabeth asked.

"Uh… people don't really like me in town… I uh, let's just say I have lots of debts to people, too many unpaid tabs." He muttered quickly.

"Well, maybe I can help you pay them?" She offered.

"No, it's okay, I can't go into town, but if you want we could meet here again some other time."

"Tomorrow?" She asked eyes wide in blissful innocence.

'_Fuck she's cute…' _Vincent thought, "Yeah, tomorrow."


	3. Chapter Two: I'm Just Not Like You

**Notes: I think you should know by now, but, I don't own Fire Emblem the Sacred Stones.**

_**Chapter Two: I'm Just Not Like You**_

You know you've either had a really bad night, or are about to have a really bad day, when you wake up somewhere you don't know. While also feeling like your head's just been smashed in with a hammer and having only faint recollections of the previous night, most of which involve a scandalous near-stranger. Who may or may not be the owner of the arm that was currently draped over your naked body.

Or at least, that's what Melody thought as she leaped out of bed with a killer's stealth. She quickly got dress and recollected all of her weapons which she had taken off before she had engaged in what she, sadly, deducted as an intimate activity with someone she barely knew.

As she left the room Cole began to stir, she muttered a string of curses and left like her life depended on it. Knowing that the inn she had been staying in was compromised due to Cole's 'watching' her the past week she carefully left some gold for the owner and decided to leave town.

"Where do ya think you're going little missy?" A rough voice demanded ahead of her as she crept through back alleys.

"I'm going wherever I feel like going." She replied back coolly and kept walking, however before she could walk past the ruffian several more street thugs and bandits has filled the alley. Melody didn't skip a beat, just sighed slightly to herself and drew her shamshir. She so wasn't in the mood to kill these fools.

Six of them charged at her, she smirked, "Six against one? Seems a little unfair to your men." And with that she cut down half of them in one stroke. She then blocked another's feeble attempt to attack her and retaliated with a swift counterattack that made sure the bandit would never again try to attack someone.

Almost like a dancer, for her moves were graceful and beautiful to behold, she leapt and spun over the head of another one of her attacks and hushed him in a matter of seconds. Now there was only one attacker left to battle her, she held up her sword and smiled a sly deadly smile at him, then she struck, the man's cry was silenced before it could ever be heard.

She heard a low whistle, "Wow Mel, you are one bad ass fighter, remind me not to piss you off." Cole commented as the rest of the ruffians fled the alley and as he walked up to her, "Where'd you go by the way?"

Melody groaned, "Look, Cole was it? I'm not Mel, not to you, not to anyone, and I was _trying_ to get the hell out of this city before you woke up."

"Again with being so harsh babe, geez, I mean, don't get me wrong, you were probably the best I ever had. But your attitude could use a little help when you're sober." Cole stated, Melody's shamshir was at his throat in a second.

"I am not your 'babe' and my 'attitude' keeps me alive. Last night was a mistake, a huge one that I regret deeply. So just quit while you're ahead. And while you still keep that head of yours."

"Tch, think you can get rid of me that easily?" He flashed a sly and cheeky grin, "You're stuck with me."

Melody narrowed her eyes, "Leave or you're dead night now." She pressed her shamshir against his throat a little harder to prove her point, a thin trail of blood began to flow.

"One question before you try and kill me." Cole asked.

"Yes? After the one you've _already_ said?" Melody said exasperatedly.

"Yes, well, whatever. Question is, did you remember to take Maiden's Weed?" He asked her while her face drained of colour.

"Oh Sh-" A large explosion shook the area as a silver streaked blond girl went flying and landed on the two, she jumped up quickly on her feet again and shook her head as if to clear the explosion from her mind. Her short hair swished slightly. Cole and Melody stood up.

"Wow, that sure was a blast, wasn't it?" She said before proceeding to laugh, it was a bubbly sound.

"BITCH! GET BACK HERE!" An angry male voice shouted.

"Whoop, gotta go!" She chirped to the two before preforming a one-handed flip over their heads, "Catch you later!"

* * *

_**14 years before the current year…**__ (It is currently the year 828 in the time of our Lord)_

* * *

A five year old girl stood on the manicured lawn of the Frelian palace's vast 'backyard' though acreage would be a more appropriate term. Her hair was cut short, falling just below her chin in silver and blonde gently spiked strands, her pale aquamarine eyes were filled with determination.

"I swear I'm going to hit it this time!" She said as she struggled to pull the bowstring, her father chuckled as he watched her loose an arrow only to have it miss its mark by a longshot. The girl turned and glared, though it wasn't menacing at all considering she was just a five year old girl and Innes had seen menaces he wished she'd never ever run into.

"Dad, I'm _never_ gonna get this right!" She put her bow down and crossed her arms and pouted, "Show me again."

He smiled at her and chuckled again before drawing his own bow, a beautiful silver engraved weapon, he skillfully drew an arrow and with a twang of the bowstring and a whistling of the air, the arrow was lodged in the centre of the target. He gently ruffed her hair, "Don't worry Sarah, you'll get the hang of it."

Sarah looked as skeptical as a five year old could and then shrugged and picked up her bow before trying again. This time, she hit the target, it was nearly a miss, but it made the child grin, "Told you dad, I'm gonna be just like you when I grow up."

* * *

_**Back in the present…**_

* * *

"Topaz, you mustn't keep running off like that, how do you expect to become the next guardian of Darkling woods if you keep shirking your duties." The older Manakete scolded, her purple eyes flashing.

"Oh lay off it mother, I don't plan to be the next guardian. Let some other chick do it." Topaz grumbled her blue and gold hair falling in front of her coal black eyes as she huffed a protest.

"Topaz…" Her mother's tone was dangerous, but before Topaz could let a snarky comment fly, a townsman who lived near Darkling woods ran up to the two, he was covered in blood.

"Oh Great Dragon… We need your help…" he said before collapsing on the ground, though whether or not he was alive or just passed out wasn't apparent.

"Topaz, stay here." Her mother ordered.

"Myrrh…" Topaz complained.

"You are not to call either me, or your father by our first names Topaz, I have taught you that before. It is respect, now just stay here!" And with that Myrrh used her Dragonstone and flew off.

"Stay here? Pfft, yeah right." Topaz muttered before wandering off into the forest. That was probably the first mistake she made in the long list of events that followed. But defiance is a tricky thing, it makes you ignore that tiny little voice inside your head. Or in Topaz's case, screaming as she ran straight into another person.


End file.
